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Patrice McLaurin is an author, image activist and character education consultant. She enjoys a good game of Scrabble and loves to read an exciting thriller! She considers herself a teacher, (by calling, not by trade), and an advocate for children. She has worked to empower and enhance the lives of young people for the past two decades.
Her latest book, I Am Because I Choose is an engaging picture book that encourages children to embrace their most amazing SUPERPOWER which is their power to CHOOSE! Each page demonstrates how children can become whatever it is that they choose to be while highlighting the positive consequences that can result from making good choices. Patrice was inspired to write this book because this was the book that she would have loved to share with students when she taught character education.
Her first children’s book, “Have You Thanked an Inventor Today?” was listed as an Amazon Best Seller and was acclaimed by Microsoft as a book that informs and inspires STEM. The book received a 5 Star Award rating from Reader’s Favorite and has been greatly received by educators, parents and students alike.
Her second book, “Have You Thanked a KidVentor Today?” is another great STEM read that highlights some of the wonderful contributions of child inventors. The goal of both books is to encourage children to recognize and tap into their own genius.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
I Am Because I Choose is a children’s educational picture book written by Patrice McLaurin and illustrated by Dian Wang. The little boy in this story knows how important it is to make good choices. Making choices is his superpower. He can make good or bad choices, but when he considers the consequences of his decision-making, he usually makes the right one. His decision to be kind and empathetic means he has good friends who know he cares about them. Likewise, his decision to read and learn makes him a good student, one who will be a leader when he grows up, one who will be successful. He finds it fairly simple and obvious to make the right decisions, to choose wisely, and because he does, his life is pretty cool.
Patrice McLaurin’s I Am Because I Choose introduces the concepts of choice, consequences, empathy, and perseverance to young readers. As they follow the little boy’s story about his choosing skills, they learn how his success in school, on the playing fields and in life generally are under his control -- because he chooses how he will conduct himself. His gift of making the right decision is his superpower, one which makes him powerful and strong. Dian Wang’s illustrations work quite well with the text. We see the boy riding a golden key to success through his ability to make good choices, and, likewise, we see him running on the track -- and winning. Each brightly colored panel reinforces the author’s underlying message and gives the story dimension and heft. The author also includes a glossary of terms that will be helpful for kids and grownups to have discussions after reading the book. I Am Because I Choose is highly recommended.
